Chess in concert - further casting announced
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
JOINING Josh Groban and Idina Menzel in the 21st Anniversary concert production of Chess, which will be staged at the Royal Albert Hall for two nights only (May 12 and May 13, 2008), will be Adam Pascal, Kerry Ellis, Marti Pellow, David Bedella and Clarke Peters.
Pascal (Frederick Trumper) has previously appeared in Rent; Ellis’ (Svetlana) previous credits include Wicked and We Will Rock You; chart-topping Wet Wet Wet singer Pellow (The Arbiter) made his West End debut as corrupt lawyer Billy Flynn in Chicago; Bedella ( Molokov) received an Olivier for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in Jerry Springer – The Opera; and Peters (Walter) was seen most recently in Trevor Nunn’s Porgy and Bess at the Savoy Theatre.
Also confirmed are Grant Anthony, Christopher Colley, Tiffany Graves, Leila Benn Harris, David Michael Johnson, Debbie Kurup, Aoife Mulholland and Tabitha Webb.
Previously Posted: A 21st Anniversary concert production of Chess, starring Josh Groban and Idina Menzel, will be staged at the Royal Albert Hall for two nights only – on May 12 and May 13, 2008.
Chess, which has a book and lyrics by Sir Tim Rice and music by Abba’s Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, is the story of a love triangle told against the backdrop of an international chess tournament during the height of the cold war.
In the anniversary production Groban and Menzel play lovers – the Russian, Anatoly Sergievsky (a role Groban previously played in an Actors’ Fund Benefit Concert of Chess) and the American, Florence Vassy.
Chess premiered at the Prince Edward Theatre in May 1986 although the concept album was released two years earlier. It featured Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson singing the duet I Know Him So Well which was subsequently released as a single that went to the top of the UK music chart.
Menzel originated the role of Elphaba when the musical Wicked opened on Broadway in October 2003. She went on to win the 2004 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, before eventually leaving the show in January 2005. The following year, she reprised the role in the London production.
Her other New York credits include Rent (for which she was Tony-nominated for the first time), Aida, Hair, The Wild Party, See What I Wanna See and The Vagina Monologues.
American singer Groban found fame in 1997 after appearing (and singing) in the US sitcom Ally McBeal. A year later, he secured a recording deal with Warner Brothers after standing in for Andrea Bocelli and performing The Prayer with Celine Dion at the Grammy rehearsals.
His albums include Awake, Closer, Josh Groban, Josh Groban in Concert, Josh Groban Live at The Greek and Noel.
Rice has recently written the songs for the forthcoming film Nutcracker: The Untold Story which stars John Turturro and Nathan Lane. His other work includes Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Evita, both in collaboration with Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The Chess concert, which will be modelled on the original 1984 concept album, will be presented by Heartaches Limited in association with JGPC and The Night of 1,000 Voices. Both performances will be introduced by Sir Tim Rice. Hugh Wooldridge directs, with choreography by Kevan Allen, and David Firman conducting the 50-piece City of London Philharmonic Orchestra.